The Goaty Hill / West Tamar Council B14 National Championships hosted by Tamar Yacht Club started today on Bell Bay at Beauty Point.

The racing got underway with an invitation race sailed in a fresh WNW breeze of 18 to 20 knots. Thirteen of the fourteen entrants faced the starter getting underway early at 1:15pm, Guy Bancroft and Lachie Imeneo in Onemoreforthebone (OMFT Bone) got off the a flying start being first around the top mark and building on the lead at each mark finally leading Kelvin Boyle and Amy VanGalen in Clean Skin home by 2 1/2 minutes and Nick Darlow and Mike McDonald in Siren third a further 45 seconds back.

Both Adrian Beswick and Clare Cromarty in Craftsman Homes and Ritchie Reynolds and Lisa MacMillan in the Nude got away to a bad start but gradually fought through the fleet to finish fourth and fifth respectively a further 45 and 50 sec from third place.

Next was Chris Wells and Rani Dabner in Epic who 'took it easy' not flying the kite a further three minutes back followed by Steve Miller and Earl Westbury in Phantom who only flew the kite on the final downwind a further 15 seconds behind.

The other finishers were Geoff Waldon and Otto Yeung in Orca Blush a further 8 ½ minutes in arrears followed by Robbie Hunt and David McAully in the Hitcher a further 30 seconds back and finally Tim Grant and Megan Grant in B Alert last to finish a further 4 ½ minutes back and all of these boats have at least two capsizes.

Unfortunately we also had three retirements Anthony House and Jack Waldron in Yellow Bone with a broken mast, Ross Daley and Matt Keil in Early Warning with a torn main and Mark Lainson and Paul O’Connor in Blown Seal.

The fresh breeze was a good test for the crews and tomorrow we kick off the real racing with up to four races.